G. K. Venkatesh - Work With Rajkumar

Work With Rajkumar

GKV composed music for 51 films in which Dr. Rajkumar played the lead role. He launched Dr. Rajkumar as a singer in the film Ohileshwara (song: Sharanu Shambho) and also recorded Dr.Rajkumar's first duet in Mahishasura Mardhini (song: Tumbitu Manava with S. Janaki). GKV would insist Dr. Rajkumar to sing regularly, owing to his grooming in the Gubbi Company. Rajkumar, however preferred P. B. Sreenivos, to sing for him.

In 1974, P. B. Sreenivos, was hesitant to sing the song (song: Yare Koogadali) in the movie Sampattige Saval. The song had the hero singing praises of a buffalo and the conservative-minded P. B. Sreenivos wasn't enthusiastic to sing it. GKV proposed to Rajkumar to sing the song. It marked the re-emergence of the Singer in Rajkumar.

A versatile music director, GKV used elaborate Western-style orchestration in his songs, be they of any genre. He successfully brought Master singer Dr. Bhimsen Joshi to sing for films Sandhyaraga (1966). Bhimsen Joshi sang again in the movie Nodi Swami Navirodu Heege (1983).

Ustad Bismillah Khan was reluctant to play Shehnai for films during his later part of years. GKV got the Maestro to play Shehnai for lead character Appanna, enacted by Dr.Rajkumar in Sanadi Appanna (1977). The songs became chartbusters and are aired regularly on the Kannada Radio.

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